The OneOrlando Fund established to manage donations that poured in following the Pulse nightclub attack officially closes March 31.

  • OneOrlando Fund officially closes March 31
  • Fund stopped accepting donations Jan. 1
  • RELATED: More coverage of the Pulse attack

The fund stopped accepting donations Jan. 1, and the remaining funds will be given out to victims using a distribution method approved by the board.

The fund's website directs people to the Contigo Fund and the Central Florida Foundation Better Together Fund.

Sandi Vidal, vice president of community strategies and initiatives with the Central Florida Foundation, said: "We came alongside the OneOrlando Fund to really focus on strengthening the nonprofits in the communities and filling the gaps."

The foundation manages more than 400 charitable funds that are invested back into the community. The Better Together Fund focuses on community needs now and in the future.

"Tragedy, when it happens, it happens," Vidal said. "It is devastating to the community at that moment, but there are long-term ripple effects that continue to happen. And it's not just something that goes away."

So far, the fund has given grants for support groups and other organizations. Vidal said mental health is a focus.

"Sometimes, people will internalize and won't get help right away," she said. "Or, they get help and think they are better and something triggers them later on, so there's ongoing mental health care needs that will continue to happen in the community."

The foundation meets with a group of mental health care nonprofit organizations approximately every other month to get updates from the community on where they see things.

"One of the things that we did hear in our most recent meeting is that people are having flashbacks to the event," Vidal said. "Again, one of those reminders that mental health care is a long-term event."

Donations to Better Together will help the foundation prepare for what's to come, Vidal said.

"I think there are so many things that we don’t think about that will probably come to a head on June 12 when we have the anniversary of the event," she said.